Massage apparatus.



DE FOREST B. GATLIN.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.25, 1912.

1,059,594. Patented M11222, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses OQZMW DE FOREST B. GATLIN. MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1912.

1,059,594., v Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor Witnesses o Attorneys,

3. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line DE FOREST 3. GATLIN, 0F M.A 1\TKATO, MINNESOTA.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Applibat'ion filed October 25, 1912. Serial No. 727,706

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DE FOREST B. CATLIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Manliato, in the county of Blue Earth and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invent-ion relates to improvements in massage apparatus.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a massage apparatus in which a flexible rubbing surface is operated through a peculiar mechanism so that the- "length of the reciprocations imparted to such may be varied to consequently affect the dis-- tance of movement of the rubbing belt, the motor being operated at a fixed speed so that the rubbing belt is reciprocated at the same speed regardless although the length of the stroke thereofmay-be varied.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodimentof the'invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine with only a portion of the massa e belt shown. Fig. 2

1s a top plan view 0 the machine as ill 11S trated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the means for varying the stroke of the massage belt. Fig. 4 is a detail view thereof, showing the mounting of the means for Varying the stroke. Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. I fi6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the massage belt operably connected to the walking beam of the operating mechanism, Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of the mas sage belt. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective V ew of the adjustable member, whereby the distance of movement of the walking beam is controlled. Fig. 11 is a similar view of the rod carrying the same.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a hollow base preferably made of cast metal, and which may be rigidly secured to a proper support or mounted upon casters to insure the portability thereof.

Preferably an electric motor M is mounted upon the base, although any operating mechanism may be employed. Mounted upon the base 1 adjacent to the motor M are the two posts or standards 2 in which is ournaled the shaft 3 which has keyed, thereon'between the posts or standards the friction disk 4 which is in frictional the grooved friction disk motor shaft. rotated.

Keyed upon one free end of the shaft 3 is a circular disk 6 which has connected thereto and'eccentrically thereof the pin 7 which forms a pivotal connection for one end of the connecting rod 8, the other end of the connecting rod 8 being connected pivotally to the clamp 9 which is adjustably mounted upon the upper end of the swinging arm or rod 10.

The lower end of the rod 10 is provided with the oppositely extending pintles 11 contact with 5 keyed upon the By this means the shaft 8 is which fit within the journals 12 connected to and carried by the base 1, such journals 12 and pintles 11 forming the pivoting means for the arm 10.

Slidably mounted upon the; cylindrical arm' 10 between its lower end and the clamping sleeve 9 is a. sleeve 13, in whose spaced lug 14 is pivotally connected one end of the second connecting rod 15. In order to impart the desired sliding movement to the sleeve 13 and thereby adjust the lugs 14 relatively to the pivotal pointof the arm 10, a pin 16 connects the upper end of the bar 17 thereto. This bar 17 projects downwardly and parallel to the rod 10 through the slot 18 formed at the base of the rod 10, the same being provided with the rack teeth 19 which are in engagement at all times with the toothed pinion 20 keyed upon and rotatable with the shaft 21 journaled, as shown, concentrically of the 'pintles 11 and extending exteriorly thereof and provided with the operating disk 22. By this means the shaft 21 may be rotated and imparting an elevating I strap ends 3232, these endsbein or lowering movement to the sleeve 13, thus regulating the distance of the lugs 14 with relation to the pintles 11 and consequently regulating the. distance of movement or throw of the connecting rod 15. In order to maintain the bar 17 in the desired adjusted position, the small recesses 23 are provided upon the opposite side to the teeth 19 and are disposed in the path to be engaged by the stud 2st whose stem 25 is mounted within the casing 26 and is held by means of the spring a outwardly and in engagement with the bar 17.

The free end of the connecting rod 15 is pivoted in thestrap 27, which as shown is pivotally connected to one end of the walking beam 28, whose rod 29 is mounted within the standard 30 connected to and supported by the base 1.

By this construction it will be seen that the rotation of the motor M will impart a.

reciprocation to the walking beam 28, the

speed of such reciprocation being maintained according to the speed of the motor, but the throw of the walking beam being made adjustable at will by means of the pinion 20 and rack bar 17, such stroke being regulated by the position of the sleeve 13 upon the swinging rod 10.

Pivotally connected in the free ends of the walking beam 28 are the pivoted plates 31 and 31, to which are connected the free connected to the buckles 33-33 of the exible rubbing or-massage belt 34. This massage belt 34 is preferably provided with the flesh engaging corrugated or serrated portions 35, all as clearly shown in Fi s. 7, 8 and 9.-

By means of the flexibility of the member 34, the same will readily accommodate itself to various portions of the patients body, while with the means for reciprocating the same, the stroke of the belt member 34 may be regulated or varied at will so that a long stroke or a short stroke at a fixed speed will be imparted thereto.

Alt ough an electric motor is here shown for-actuating this mechanism, it is evident that the same maybe operated by hand or by other power wlthout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A massage apparatus, including a base, a vertically swinging arm mounted upon said base, a block slidably mounted upon said arm, a rack bar depending from said block and disposed to parallel the arm, means carried by the arm and operably engaging the rack bar to slide the block upon the arm and maintain the same at the desired adjustment thereupon, a standard; a horizontally swinging walking beam mounted in said standard, and a link pivotally connected to the walking beam and the sliding block.-

a vertically swinging arm mounted upon said base, a block slidably mounted upon said-arm, a rack bar depending from said block and disposed to parallel the arm, means carried by the arm and operably engaging the rack bar to slide the block upon the arm and maintain the same at the dehorizontally swinging walking beam mounted in said standard, a link pivotally connected to the walking beam and theslid- Ingblock, said rack bar being provided with teeth upon the opposite side to its rack, and spring actuated means carried by the lower end of the arm for operably engaging the "teeth to maintain the bar and block in adj usted position.

3. A massage apparatus, including a base, a pair of'spaced journals mounted thereupon the lower end of said arm and mounted in said journals to connect the arm for vertical swinging movement, said block being provided with a vertical slot therethrough parallel with the rod, a block slidable upon the rod, a toothed bar carried by the block and projecting through the slot of the arm carrying bloc a manually rotatable toothed wheel mounted in the block carrying the arm and operably engaging the teeth of the bar to slide the bar carried block upon the arm, and a swinging walking beam operably connected to the bar carried block.

as my own, I have hereto afiixed my. s1gna-. ture in the presence of two witnesses.

DE FOREST B. CATLIN. Witnesses i L. J. GAULT, W. G, LARMANN.

upon, a cylindrical arm, a block disposed 2. A massage apparatus, including a base,

sired adjustment thereupon, a standard, a

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 

